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Black Panther by Ta-Nehisi Coates
Black Panther, Vol. 5: Avengers of the New World, Part Two
Klaw stands supreme! The Black Panther's greatest foe has returned, ready for war! Can T'Challa finally defeat Ulysses Klaw, the man who killed his father, while his country threatens to rip itself apart? To make matters worse, Wakanda's gods disappear - and the Originators return! The former gods are back, but what are their intentions for a land that has forgotten them? And all this is only the beginning, as a cadre of villains returns, monsters pour through strange gateways and Wakanda is brought to its knees! T'Challa must defend his country from within - but with his hands full, who will come to Ayo and Aneka's aid? And as Klaw steals the very lifeblood of Wakanda, the Panther turns to unlikely allies. Who will join the king's ill-fated crusade? The answers will surprise you!
COLLECTING: BLACK PANTHER 166-172
COLLECTING: BLACK PANTHER 166-172
160 pages, Paperback
First published May 30, 2018
35 people are currently reading
775 people want to read
About the author
Ta-Nehisi Coates
286 books17.3k followersTa-Nehisi Coates is the author of the #1 New York Times bestseller Between the World and Me, a finalist for the National Book Award. A MacArthur "Genius Grant" fellow, Coates has received the National Magazine Award, the Hillman Prize for Opinion and Analysis Journalism, and the George Polk Award for his Atlantic cover story "The Case for Reparations." He lives in New York with his wife and son.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 99 reviews
November 14, 2018
The book is finally rounding into a comic book, instead of a master thesis on international political theory. The first half of the book is still very slow and the cast is WAY too large. Each issue needs to come with a who's who. The action picks up in the second half of the book but Coates still needs to find a balance throughout each issue. At least now I'm not reading this book like it's a chore, but it still hasn't reached the heights of Priest's or Hudland's runs.
December 12, 2018
The best volume of Coates' run so far. I am also glad that they are keeping Storm and Black Panther's relationship intact, because I was always a fan of those two being together.
November 5, 2018
Slightly less boring than the usual Coates stories.
August 23, 2020
I usually make sure to read each volume of Coates' Black Panther at least twice (or six times) before sitting down to review it. Even the most straightforward issues are dense and unforgiving -- Coates has a style in which he doesn't really give clues about which plot threads are new vs. which ones are referencing something you need to look up from five years or or thirty years ago, and he's REALLY fond of starting new threads offscreen, and letting them filter in at random moments. His books make you work, in other words.
All that said, I read this book once and like, I'm good.
In this volume, Coates brings back the classic Panther villain Klaw. The MCU version of Klaw (or, specifically, Klaue) is ridiculous and great -- a swanky-dressed thief and crime boss who's out of his mind and has a robo-gun for an arm. The comic version of the character is...not great. He's clearly got the kind of history that's supposed to make his presence in the book impressive, but his character design is just sort of .... um ... dorky? I dunno, that's him on the cover. You tell me.
This book, like the previous one, features Storm in a prominent role, and she brings with her a seeeecret X-Men villain who is, for some reason, presented in one of his most problematic incarnations from the 90s, complete with a weird 90s dialogue font. Like, it's all so bad I wonder if Coates is making some kind of commentary or something? I want to hope that he is, but nothing else about this book was very good, so I don't know. I kind of wonder if the only part of his run that's worth reading is A Nation Under Our Feet. This storyline felt pretty skippable.
All that said, I read this book once and like, I'm good.
In this volume, Coates brings back the classic Panther villain Klaw. The MCU version of Klaw (or, specifically, Klaue) is ridiculous and great -- a swanky-dressed thief and crime boss who's out of his mind and has a robo-gun for an arm. The comic version of the character is...not great. He's clearly got the kind of history that's supposed to make his presence in the book impressive, but his character design is just sort of .... um ... dorky? I dunno, that's him on the cover. You tell me.
This book, like the previous one, features Storm in a prominent role, and she brings with her a seeeecret X-Men villain who is, for some reason, presented in one of his most problematic incarnations from the 90s, complete with a weird 90s dialogue font. Like, it's all so bad I wonder if Coates is making some kind of commentary or something? I want to hope that he is, but nothing else about this book was very good, so I don't know. I kind of wonder if the only part of his run that's worth reading is A Nation Under Our Feet. This storyline felt pretty skippable.
March 1, 2018
A strong improvement over "A Nation Under My Feet" which featured strong politicraft--but wasn't necessarily a good comic (it was someone clearly learning the ropes and balancing the synthesis of words with images). =
This story feels like a true comic arc however--and not just a "vanity" project dipping their toes in. Coates does exceptionally impressive work here. He marries canon together with plot development and new ideas--while again, the story is a bi t long with 12 issues, it moves much faster than the previous story.
He makes some daring choices including the origins of Wakanda, the nature of the missing gods, an interesting cast of villians (including Thudnerball from the Wrecking Crew), the issues of the newly "Democratic" country, and actually a bit of sympathy for Klaw himself.
And my guess? The Gods left for space (out of boredom)...leading us to the Wakandan Intergalactic Empire
Great stuff
This story feels like a true comic arc however--and not just a "vanity" project dipping their toes in. Coates does exceptionally impressive work here. He marries canon together with plot development and new ideas--while again, the story is a bi t long with 12 issues, it moves much faster than the previous story.
He makes some daring choices including the origins of Wakanda, the nature of the missing gods, an interesting cast of villians (including Thudnerball from the Wrecking Crew), the issues of the newly "Democratic" country, and actually a bit of sympathy for Klaw himself.
And my guess? The Gods left for space (out of boredom)...leading us to the Wakandan Intergalactic Empire
Great stuff
November 21, 2018
Less philosophy, more action - Ta-Nehisi Coates finally produces a Black Panther volume that reads like a comic book rather than a non-fiction treatise on political philosophies. Klaw is an intriguing villain and is given a great deal of backstory to make him almost worth rooting for. He is definitely not the same Klaw from the Black Panther movie, which threw me for a loop at first. He actually looks super dorky with his satellite TV receiver arm attachment. But, like I said, Coates gives him a full personality, which makes up for the dorkiness.
That constant action also makes up for previous, stodgier volumes. It can be a bit hard to follow at times, since Black Panther appears to be fighting actual Gods as well as Klaw. But the pace is relentless and the concluding battle is a real thrill. All I ask for with future volumes is some sort of Dramatis Personae at the beginning - I can never keep all of these characters straight.
That constant action also makes up for previous, stodgier volumes. It can be a bit hard to follow at times, since Black Panther appears to be fighting actual Gods as well as Klaw. But the pace is relentless and the concluding battle is a real thrill. All I ask for with future volumes is some sort of Dramatis Personae at the beginning - I can never keep all of these characters straight.
November 22, 2022
Volume 5 is better than the previous volume and provides an explanation for what’s happened to Wakanda’s gods. This is a revelation for T’Challa as he learns an untold truth about Wakanda’s history. Coates is at his best in this arc when he grounds Wakanda in a consciousness that parallels the real world, which also serves as a reminder to the events of the first arc.
This volume was action-packed and a decent conclusion to the Avengers of the New World story. Overall it’s interesting and has great artwork, but there’s too much going on and a few parts could have been explained better.
Rating: 3.75/5
This volume was action-packed and a decent conclusion to the Avengers of the New World story. Overall it’s interesting and has great artwork, but there’s too much going on and a few parts could have been explained better.
Rating: 3.75/5
July 3, 2018
Dear God, I didn't think it was possible to swoon any more than I did with part one. T'Challa and Ororo are so damn perfect for each other. Swooning aside, this was filled with action and great storytelling.
July 25, 2018
I don't care who's name is on the title, Shuri is still best superhero.
April 4, 2022
If
Avengers of the New World Book One
felt a bit divided and lacking a bit in unity, the second half of this story arc brings things home to a more satisfying conclusion. Collecting Black Panther #166–172 (resuming the original ongoing numbering on the title), the volume is primarily drawn by Leonard Kirk (#166–167 and #169–172) with Chris Spouse contributing with a single issue (#168). This arguably helps creating a more cohesive second volume.
The narrative opens with issue #166, which is devoted to the villain Klaw. Here Ta-Nehisi Coates illuminates who is behind the Marvel villains scheming against Wakanda, providing some further depth to this, and also starts to present how the interdimensional threat connects to this. The X-Man, and former wife of T'Challa, Storm who was introduced into the narrative in the preceding volume, returns later in this one with something of a vengeance, as Coates pulls out an old Marvel villain I had not seen for quite some time, and in a most interesting way to boot.
All in all, I think this volume returns to the initial form Coates showed on his run, even though it dropped a bit on the way here.
The narrative opens with issue #166, which is devoted to the villain Klaw. Here Ta-Nehisi Coates illuminates who is behind the Marvel villains scheming against Wakanda, providing some further depth to this, and also starts to present how the interdimensional threat connects to this. The X-Man, and former wife of T'Challa, Storm who was introduced into the narrative in the preceding volume, returns later in this one with something of a vengeance, as Coates pulls out an old Marvel villain I had not seen for quite some time, and in a most interesting way to boot.
All in all, I think this volume returns to the initial form Coates showed on his run, even though it dropped a bit on the way here.
March 3, 2021
I have a booktube channel now! Subscribe here.
Strong improvement! This arc shows Coates really starting to get the hang of writing comics, and I was especially pleased with this volume. I love the philosophical angle, but it needs to be fleshed out with more action to be comics!
Pros:
1. Loving the Wakandan history, especially bringing in the mythology of the Djalia and finally understanding more of Shuri's power
2. Storm/T'Challa is so hot
Cons:
1. Klaw is kind of a weak villain here, I'm way more interested in the gods.
2. Where the hell did the Adversary come from all of a sudden!? I need to know more about him--it feels like the end of the volume was wrapped up too quickly
Strong improvement! This arc shows Coates really starting to get the hang of writing comics, and I was especially pleased with this volume. I love the philosophical angle, but it needs to be fleshed out with more action to be comics!
Pros:
1. Loving the Wakandan history, especially bringing in the mythology of the Djalia and finally understanding more of Shuri's power
2. Storm/T'Challa is so hot
Cons:
1. Klaw is kind of a weak villain here, I'm way more interested in the gods.
2. Where the hell did the Adversary come from all of a sudden!? I need to know more about him--it feels like the end of the volume was wrapped up too quickly
September 24, 2020
Black Panther Vol. 5: Avengers of the New World continues straight on from the previous book with the Wakundans having to deal with the reappearance of the Originators and blasts from the past attempting to take over Wakunda and restore thing to the way they were! Black Panther Vol. 5: Avengers of the New World neatly weaves the past of Wakunda in with events taking place in the present and future of Wakunda! This allows Black Panther Vol. 5: Avengers of the New World to continue to look at and compare the former lands that Wakunda sits on and the current style of government! This makes for a great story where the differing motivations and ideals of the two societies clash neatly with each other!
From the start you can see how the Wakundans have absorbed the best of what the Originator culture had while striving for a better system! At the same time we also have the governmental and military fallout from the change in Wakundan politics! So the events at the same time prove to be a testing ground for these new ideals that everyone has signed up for! Black Panther Vol. 5: Avengers of the New World also illustrates the Wakundan technology and its uses and this neatly contrast with the Weapons and technology that the Originators use! This also shows how much the Wakundans themselves have changed from the what the Originators and their way of rulling!
Black Panther Vol. 5: Avengers of the New World at the same time has an epic Cast with the Wakundans themselves, Storm, Shuri etc all putting in appearances and of course the Originators themselves who are all of a different nature and fully realised and three-dimensional themselves! This makes for an eclectic grouping of people who all have their own motivations as well as their overarching belief in the causes that they are fighting for! This gives the book brilliant complexity that will keep your on your toes guessing as to which way things are going to as both sides have claims to the lands they are fighting over!
At the same time Black Panther Vol. 5: Avengers of the New World engages in epic world building with us getting to see even more of Wakunda and gaining detail in backstory of what Wakunda was like in the past and seeing what it is developing into! Running with this as well we get to see even more of the internal working of the Wakundans and the Originators as well showing the intelligence that is working on both sides! At the same time the Wakundan government is also shown and seen to be sticking ruthlessly to the civil war agreement and the Queen Mothers ruthlessness is brilliantly displayed! The characters are really put into the frying pan and Coates really puts his characters through it! This makes for an edge of the seat ride that never let up from the start! This is one where you don't know what is going to happen to the characters and will keep you guessing while at the same time dealing with old plot threads and setting up new ones at the same time!
Black Panther Vol. 5: Avengers of the New World art is brilliantly rendered neatly dovetailing into the script! Black Panther Vol. 5: Avengers of the New World has an epic feel to it with the panels all having a cinematic quality to them that marries up brilliantly with the script creating a tale that never lets up from the beginning! Black Panther Vol. 5: Avengers of the New World changing location and grandstanding characters make for an epic story that really drives home its point and will have you guessing way things are going to go!
Black Panther Vol. 5: Avengers of the New World is epic in every way, full of world building really giving us a clear view of Wakundan society past and future, Heroics with epic battles and impossible odds at from the start, brilliantly plotting that is unpredictable, cunning opponents who keep the Wakundans on their claws, three-dimensional characters all with their own motivations and loyalties which make for epic and complex outcomes, different technologies and their impacts, Social observation looking at how thing were in the past and how Wakundan civilization is evolved, adventure with Wakundans and Originators going all over the place attempting to outflank each other and epic action! Brilliant and Highly Recommended! Crisp High Five! Get it When You Can! :D
From the start you can see how the Wakundans have absorbed the best of what the Originator culture had while striving for a better system! At the same time we also have the governmental and military fallout from the change in Wakundan politics! So the events at the same time prove to be a testing ground for these new ideals that everyone has signed up for! Black Panther Vol. 5: Avengers of the New World also illustrates the Wakundan technology and its uses and this neatly contrast with the Weapons and technology that the Originators use! This also shows how much the Wakundans themselves have changed from the what the Originators and their way of rulling!
Black Panther Vol. 5: Avengers of the New World at the same time has an epic Cast with the Wakundans themselves, Storm, Shuri etc all putting in appearances and of course the Originators themselves who are all of a different nature and fully realised and three-dimensional themselves! This makes for an eclectic grouping of people who all have their own motivations as well as their overarching belief in the causes that they are fighting for! This gives the book brilliant complexity that will keep your on your toes guessing as to which way things are going to as both sides have claims to the lands they are fighting over!
At the same time Black Panther Vol. 5: Avengers of the New World engages in epic world building with us getting to see even more of Wakunda and gaining detail in backstory of what Wakunda was like in the past and seeing what it is developing into! Running with this as well we get to see even more of the internal working of the Wakundans and the Originators as well showing the intelligence that is working on both sides! At the same time the Wakundan government is also shown and seen to be sticking ruthlessly to the civil war agreement and the Queen Mothers ruthlessness is brilliantly displayed! The characters are really put into the frying pan and Coates really puts his characters through it! This makes for an edge of the seat ride that never let up from the start! This is one where you don't know what is going to happen to the characters and will keep you guessing while at the same time dealing with old plot threads and setting up new ones at the same time!
Black Panther Vol. 5: Avengers of the New World art is brilliantly rendered neatly dovetailing into the script! Black Panther Vol. 5: Avengers of the New World has an epic feel to it with the panels all having a cinematic quality to them that marries up brilliantly with the script creating a tale that never lets up from the beginning! Black Panther Vol. 5: Avengers of the New World changing location and grandstanding characters make for an epic story that really drives home its point and will have you guessing way things are going to go!
Black Panther Vol. 5: Avengers of the New World is epic in every way, full of world building really giving us a clear view of Wakundan society past and future, Heroics with epic battles and impossible odds at from the start, brilliantly plotting that is unpredictable, cunning opponents who keep the Wakundans on their claws, three-dimensional characters all with their own motivations and loyalties which make for epic and complex outcomes, different technologies and their impacts, Social observation looking at how thing were in the past and how Wakundan civilization is evolved, adventure with Wakundans and Originators going all over the place attempting to outflank each other and epic action! Brilliant and Highly Recommended! Crisp High Five! Get it When You Can! :D
June 27, 2018
I am probably really biased but I love Storm so this one gets an extra star from me. Also Shuri is a complete badass!
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August 1, 2018
This run of Black Panther had a great start, followed by a few slow volumes. But it seems like it's back on track and better than ever. I really enjoyed this book, and I look forward to more.
March 29, 2022
My favorite part was Storm.
April 20, 2021
“Did you truly believe that a great nation could be built without another underfoot?”
I liked this way more than the previous volume (BP Vol.4: Avengers of the New World Part One), which I disliked enough to initially skip this one altogether (I came back to it after reading the two collected volumes that follow this one, and I’m glad I did).
This collection moves much faster: there’s a little backstory here and there, but it’s mostly action and reveals from start to finish (the opposite of its predecessor).
Overall, Coates’ Black Panther run has grown on me a lot. It is definitely uneven, but as a whole, I appreciate the story he is trying to tell.
I’m looking forward to reading the end of it, and will probably try to re-read the whole thing together at some point. I might actually go buy some comic books for the first time in years, so I see how this ends without having to wait for the collected edition to come out and be available at the library.
I liked this way more than the previous volume (BP Vol.4: Avengers of the New World Part One), which I disliked enough to initially skip this one altogether (I came back to it after reading the two collected volumes that follow this one, and I’m glad I did).
This collection moves much faster: there’s a little backstory here and there, but it’s mostly action and reveals from start to finish (the opposite of its predecessor).
Overall, Coates’ Black Panther run has grown on me a lot. It is definitely uneven, but as a whole, I appreciate the story he is trying to tell.
I’m looking forward to reading the end of it, and will probably try to re-read the whole thing together at some point. I might actually go buy some comic books for the first time in years, so I see how this ends without having to wait for the collected edition to come out and be available at the library.
July 30, 2018
3.5 stars, but as a continuation of this series, I'm giving it 4 for consistency
Ta-Nehisi Coates has been writing Black Panther for several years now, and has really hit his stride and excelled at penning a script for sequential art. There aren't really any big shockers in this volume, or particularly amazing panels, but overall, it's a well-told story with consistently beautiful, complementary art.
Worthwhile bonus feature in this trade: an interview with Coates and Ryan Coogler (director of the MCU Black Panther film) from shortly after the movie's premiere! Apparently Coogler got the job and started reading all the older runs of Black Panther a bit before Coates's run started being published. I get the feeling the two have never met, but they clearly share some of the same vision and are positively influenced by one another, so it was cool to see a conversation between them.
Ta-Nehisi Coates has been writing Black Panther for several years now, and has really hit his stride and excelled at penning a script for sequential art. There aren't really any big shockers in this volume, or particularly amazing panels, but overall, it's a well-told story with consistently beautiful, complementary art.
Worthwhile bonus feature in this trade: an interview with Coates and Ryan Coogler (director of the MCU Black Panther film) from shortly after the movie's premiere! Apparently Coogler got the job and started reading all the older runs of Black Panther a bit before Coates's run started being published. I get the feeling the two have never met, but they clearly share some of the same vision and are positively influenced by one another, so it was cool to see a conversation between them.
September 21, 2018
I thoroughly enjoyed this volume. Despite getting a part two label--perhaps because the same super-powered supporting cast is around to participate?--this one stands alone about as well as any of Coates' books have. It misses the origin of the originators--provided in the previous volume--but it clearly tells the story of their defeat and of the cabal that had combined to take on Wakanda, Tchalla, and his allies.
The art is as strong as its been at any point in the run, if not better, and Coates writes as well as ever. I love watching the interplay between Tchalla and Suri and then between Tchalla and Ororo. The relationships are each deep and very real, and it's fun to see Storm unleashed as it were. I enjoyed this one as I have each of Coates' volumes so far. Hope he sticks around for a good long while.
The art is as strong as its been at any point in the run, if not better, and Coates writes as well as ever. I love watching the interplay between Tchalla and Suri and then between Tchalla and Ororo. The relationships are each deep and very real, and it's fun to see Storm unleashed as it were. I enjoyed this one as I have each of Coates' volumes so far. Hope he sticks around for a good long while.
November 23, 2022
"Oh, my dear seeker... Did you truly believe that a great nation could be built without another underfoot? Or did you believe that your young gods were somehow more sound than all others?"
I found this particularly profound.
"But what is rage but an open wound, the shadow of pain? And we greet them with weaponry... ...When what is needed is a healing. A restoration. A laying on of hands."
"I am the king of Wakanda. I am the nation incarnate. And on behalf of that nation, I say: let the faith of all of Wakanda power you. That faith is more than a mutation. It is a gift of godhead, passed down from your ancestors. Claim the gift. Let this be the hour when gods again stalk the land. The hour of the Storm."
I may or may not have gotten a little misty eyed during this bit.
I found this particularly profound.
"But what is rage but an open wound, the shadow of pain? And we greet them with weaponry... ...When what is needed is a healing. A restoration. A laying on of hands."
"I am the king of Wakanda. I am the nation incarnate. And on behalf of that nation, I say: let the faith of all of Wakanda power you. That faith is more than a mutation. It is a gift of godhead, passed down from your ancestors. Claim the gift. Let this be the hour when gods again stalk the land. The hour of the Storm."
I may or may not have gotten a little misty eyed during this bit.
November 27, 2019
I was going to give this a two star all the way up until the last issue because up until then it was looking a little better even though it seemed like Coates read too much that he couldn’t write action so he put way too much action in this. But the last issue was really what tipped the scales for me and made me give this a one star they finally had a cool villain thing going for them with the Klaw but yeah whatever.
You know, I’m not going to harp on about what I don’t like about this or what I think could work better. What I am going to say, however, is that I don’t think I’m a big Black Panther fan if this is what a good Black Panther run is like.
You know, I’m not going to harp on about what I don’t like about this or what I think could work better. What I am going to say, however, is that I don’t think I’m a big Black Panther fan if this is what a good Black Panther run is like.
June 19, 2018
For some reason, this volume didn't grab me the way some of Coates's previous work has managed to. Despite that, Coates is a strong writer, and he is doing impressive things with this character. With large-scale intrigue, engaging action, and a strong cast of characters--Black Panther is an effective comic that continues to surprise in the directions that it takes.
December 29, 2022
This one and the previous volume have been my faves so far in this series!
Getting to see wakanda being abandoned by their Gods and being attacked by a even older one was so interesting. I loved that the enemy was not a man or superhuman etc but was about faith. so goood!!!!
Getting to see wakanda being abandoned by their Gods and being attacked by a even older one was so interesting. I loved that the enemy was not a man or superhuman etc but was about faith. so goood!!!!
September 4, 2018
Totally worth a years worth of slow build and quality storytelling. Now Wakanda is space!
December 1, 2018
An excellent read that improves upon the first half.
https://nicolewbrown.blogspot.com/201...
https://nicolewbrown.blogspot.com/201...
August 29, 2019
So I am willing to stretch this out and say I would give it 3.5 Stars.
Overall, I have enjoyed Ta-Nehisi Coates first set of arcs while not being totally put off by the political commentary going on. In fact, I felt it to be key in the modern view of monarchies and totalitarian regimes. While several issues of this volume were well written in of themselves, what I felt really hurt this Legacy arc was the over abundance of characters and the lack of space to further develop their roles and stories with only a few exceptions.
At the end of Volume 4, it was crazy to see Klaw and the Hydra gang reveal themselves to be the culprits of the political discourse in Wakanda. Then, of course, is the title of the Legacy Arc "Klaw Stands Supreme". Unfortunately the build up and final battle did not meet expectations nor did Klaw saturate the story with his goals. The first issue of the volume is great! Coates writes a Klaw centered issue in which he really gives a sense of humanity to Klaw and explain why he has returned to Wakanda. I've seen other reviewers state that it gives us, the reader, a sense to want to root him on and understand what his goals are. The bad thing is after the first issue, Klaw sort of disappears for several issues and, as a reader, I had to assume certain things (i.e. Klaw was attempting to resurrect his sister via possession of another body... I Guess...). Zensi played a big role (I guess) in said possession but her dialogue and activity is very limited to the overall arc. The Hydra gang too barely had any screen time. This was kind of weird for me because I think this story was going on around the same time as Faustus was helping Hydra command the USA during the Secret Empire story line.
So the story is 6 issues in length. We keep being reminded that the Midnight Angels and a girl named Akira were taken prisoner sometime before the start of this volume. They do not get any screen time until the 5th and 6th issue. Again, this is a waste of character usage since the Midnight Angels were so detrimental during the first two Coates story arcs. Ras the Exhorter is missing for a large chunk of the story, which up until I read this volume I had already completely forgotten about. (Side Note: I accept fault on my part that I waited an irrational amount of time between reading Volume 4 and this volume. I undoubtedly forgot a lot of the sub-plots going on).
Black Panther and Shuri together are an amazing team and the mysticism throughout the book is really neat to see. The story on the Originators is very interesting although somewhat confusing since the book tells us some of the invasions are legit attacks while some invasions are all smoke and mirrors via Klaw. I sort of hope that the story of the Orishi will be continued at some point again in the future. The inclusion of Thunderball as a hero was also very satisfying.
On to the next arc.
Overall, I have enjoyed Ta-Nehisi Coates first set of arcs while not being totally put off by the political commentary going on. In fact, I felt it to be key in the modern view of monarchies and totalitarian regimes. While several issues of this volume were well written in of themselves, what I felt really hurt this Legacy arc was the over abundance of characters and the lack of space to further develop their roles and stories with only a few exceptions.
At the end of Volume 4, it was crazy to see Klaw and the Hydra gang reveal themselves to be the culprits of the political discourse in Wakanda. Then, of course, is the title of the Legacy Arc "Klaw Stands Supreme". Unfortunately the build up and final battle did not meet expectations nor did Klaw saturate the story with his goals. The first issue of the volume is great! Coates writes a Klaw centered issue in which he really gives a sense of humanity to Klaw and explain why he has returned to Wakanda. I've seen other reviewers state that it gives us, the reader, a sense to want to root him on and understand what his goals are. The bad thing is after the first issue, Klaw sort of disappears for several issues and, as a reader, I had to assume certain things (i.e. Klaw was attempting to resurrect his sister via possession of another body... I Guess...). Zensi played a big role (I guess) in said possession but her dialogue and activity is very limited to the overall arc. The Hydra gang too barely had any screen time. This was kind of weird for me because I think this story was going on around the same time as Faustus was helping Hydra command the USA during the Secret Empire story line.
So the story is 6 issues in length. We keep being reminded that the Midnight Angels and a girl named Akira were taken prisoner sometime before the start of this volume. They do not get any screen time until the 5th and 6th issue. Again, this is a waste of character usage since the Midnight Angels were so detrimental during the first two Coates story arcs. Ras the Exhorter is missing for a large chunk of the story, which up until I read this volume I had already completely forgotten about. (Side Note: I accept fault on my part that I waited an irrational amount of time between reading Volume 4 and this volume. I undoubtedly forgot a lot of the sub-plots going on).
Black Panther and Shuri together are an amazing team and the mysticism throughout the book is really neat to see. The story on the Originators is very interesting although somewhat confusing since the book tells us some of the invasions are legit attacks while some invasions are all smoke and mirrors via Klaw. I sort of hope that the story of the Orishi will be continued at some point again in the future. The inclusion of Thunderball as a hero was also very satisfying.
On to the next arc.
October 3, 2024
This will be my review for Part 1 and 2.
Pros:
- Storm and T'Challa in general are good characters, individually and together. I like that they were navigating the complexities of their relationship and their duties.
- The art was good - very bright and expressive
- I liked some of the messages about colonization and finding your own name. Sometimes it had nuance and other times, it was very heavy handed (like talking about slavery while a character is in HUGE literal chains).
Cons:
- I think I missed a volume or something. I had no idea what was going on with Shuri, or who the racist white people in the nightclub-looking place were. Idk. I just accepted it and kept reading.
- The ending was SO fast. Like... is it just the power of faith that won at the end of the day??? That's it? Storm gets a power boost and then, boom - big, bad demon defeated. And I still don't quite understand what the evil doctor was there for with his mind experiments.
Pros:
- Storm and T'Challa in general are good characters, individually and together. I like that they were navigating the complexities of their relationship and their duties.
- The art was good - very bright and expressive
- I liked some of the messages about colonization and finding your own name. Sometimes it had nuance and other times, it was very heavy handed (like talking about slavery while a character is in HUGE literal chains).
Cons:
- I think I missed a volume or something. I had no idea what was going on with Shuri, or who the racist white people in the nightclub-looking place were. Idk. I just accepted it and kept reading.
- The ending was SO fast. Like... is it just the power of faith that won at the end of the day??? That's it? Storm gets a power boost and then, boom - big, bad demon defeated. And I still don't quite understand what the evil doctor was there for with his mind experiments.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
December 12, 2024
The second arc of this book concludes with a battle with species of people that lived in Wakanda before men, The Originators - and the Klaw!
So I've been reading this series since Ta-Nehisi Coates took over and to be honest, the first half of the book was a bit of a slog to read through. Too many ideas and speeches given to us regarding things like international policy, and legacy of family and not enough of what we all came to see - action. This book, in the second half definitely feels more like a Marvel book because it gives us that action, and doesn't sacrifice plot for it.
The battles are visceral and the action is cathartic. It's almost like a stress release after the copious amount of setup that Coates gave us to begin with. I think the book is really finding its footing, and I look forward to seeing where it goes from here. Recommended for fans of not only Ta'Challa, but the world of Wakanda in general.
So I've been reading this series since Ta-Nehisi Coates took over and to be honest, the first half of the book was a bit of a slog to read through. Too many ideas and speeches given to us regarding things like international policy, and legacy of family and not enough of what we all came to see - action. This book, in the second half definitely feels more like a Marvel book because it gives us that action, and doesn't sacrifice plot for it.
The battles are visceral and the action is cathartic. It's almost like a stress release after the copious amount of setup that Coates gave us to begin with. I think the book is really finding its footing, and I look forward to seeing where it goes from here. Recommended for fans of not only Ta'Challa, but the world of Wakanda in general.
November 25, 2018
The politics of this have grown quite strange. The central idea of Wakanda is that it's an unbowed ancestral homeland — that if you left people alone they'd prove that they're talented and don't have to fall victim to the negative aspects of, e.g., capitalism.
But here Coates decides that the Wakandans
This book still suffers from too many new secondary characters. We're supposed to see Klaw as a kind of lackey for forces he does not understand. It takes away from the importance of Klaw himself.
But here Coates decides that the Wakandans
This book still suffers from too many new secondary characters. We're supposed to see Klaw as a kind of lackey for forces he does not understand. It takes away from the importance of Klaw himself.
February 2, 2019
well, 2.5-3 stars. for the love story, for the strong women, for the fast and easy read. all in all, the best of a nation under our feet run is the stelfreeze artwork. coates voice is too western, too american-centric, too pan-african movement as understood from the americas for my taste. even his insults seem to be u.s.american racial slurs rather than african insult (which are exceptionally imaginative).
overall, i sorely missed the only two things that make new world superhero comics tolerable for me: the humour and self-deprecating, ironical tone of earlier comics or the deep knowledge and skilled use of myths and archetypes. one was inexistent, the other too mixed-up, to put it gently.
overall, i sorely missed the only two things that make new world superhero comics tolerable for me: the humour and self-deprecating, ironical tone of earlier comics or the deep knowledge and skilled use of myths and archetypes. one was inexistent, the other too mixed-up, to put it gently.
May 31, 2020
My greatest exposure to the character Klaw was back in Secret Wars, where he was, quite frankly, mad. This book helps flesh out the true complexity of his character and what makes him such a fearsome adversary. But he is just one part of a larger challenge that Wakanda faces and it will take both their mastery over technology and magic to restore the proper balance to things.
It's quite the epic confrontation that has this unusual assembly of heroes and even a villain to face off against ancient races that had been banished away along with nefarious schemers trying to take over Wakanda for their own ends.
It's quite the epic confrontation that has this unusual assembly of heroes and even a villain to face off against ancient races that had been banished away along with nefarious schemers trying to take over Wakanda for their own ends.
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